The best places to stay in Paris

The City of Lights is home to accommodations as opulent in their history as they are in their atmosphere. From luxurious boutique hotels once inhabited by the Hermès family to more humble hidden gems, Paris offers a plethora of choices for the discerning traveller. Whether travelling alone or with others, visitors can find a roof to sleep under that is as historic and unique as the UNESCO-protected grey canopies of the city.

Hotel Grand Amour

Perfect for: Digital nomads, solo travellers, romantic couples

Hôtel Grand Amour: the hotel’s chic inner-courtyard bar and restaurant is a hit with locals.

Most famous to locals for its chic garden bar and restaurant in the hotel’s inner courtyard, Grand Amour (meaning ‘big love’) is a trendy and stylish hotel in Paris’s 10th arrondissement. The hotel’s 42 rooms are each uniquely decorated with a mix of hand-picked vintage and modern furnishings with luxurious bedding, designer toiletries and high-quality linens.
From €206 a night. 18 Rue de la Fidelité. Phone: [phone]. See grandamour.hotelamourparis.fr/en

Hotel des Grandes Ecoles

Perfect for: Cottage core couples, vintage enthusiasts, female friends and solo travellers
Nestled within Saint Germain, the hub of Paris’ Left Bank and former playground to some of the most celebrated writers and artists of the 20th century, the Hotel des Grandes Ecoles offers a bucolic pause in an otherwise bustling neighbourhood. Located near the Pantheon and the Sorbonne, at the end of a tree-lined courtyard, the 51 rooms of this hotel are covered in vintage-esque floral wallpaper and careful, quaint decorative touches. Be sure to breakfast in the garden, surprisingly quiet despite its proximity to the city centre.
From 196€ a night. 75 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See hoteldesgrandesecoles.com

Hotel Bienvenue

Perfect for: Families, digital nomads, solo travellers, low key couples

Hotel Bienvenue: No two rooms are the same at this cosy boutique stay.Credit: Laurence Revol

A short walk from Gare du Nord train station, this boutique hotel is ideal for those taking regional trains between European cities. Each of the hotel’s 38 rooms is decorated with a unique theme and designed to be cosy, welcoming and comfortable. A lovely courtyard garden provides peaceful sanctuary from the bustling neighbourhood in which to recharge before going out to explore the arrondissement’s celebrated restaurants, bars - and the Canal Saint Martin - nearby.
From €260 a night. Rue Buffault, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See hotelbienvenue.fr

Hotel Royal Madeleine

Perfect for: Parisian first-timers, solo travellers, digital nomads, families
With a charming courtyard garden where guests can enjoy a leisurely breakfast or a morning cup of coffee, the Hotel Royal Madeleine is a luxurious boutique hotel is located in the heart of Paris, a few steps away from the famous Place de la Madeleine, Champs-Elysees and Opera Garnier, as well as the designer boutiques of Rue Saint Honore. Renovated just before the pandemic, the space is neat and timeless, with an emphasis on conviviality and cocooning, true to the family-owned origins of this boutique hotel ‘house’.
From €270 a night. 29 Rue de l’Arcade, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See hotelroyalmadeleine.com

Hotel du Petit Moulin

Perfect for: Hidden gem seekers, fashion insiders, the cool crowd

The boutique stay is designed by Christian Lacroix.

Hidden away behind the facade of a now-closed bakery, with interiors designed by fashion icon Christian Lacroix, each of the Hotel du Petit Moulin rooms belongs to a category with a unique aesthetic atmosphere, from animal print to Paris’ Belle Époque. Ideally located in the centre of the ‘bobo’ (Bohemian Bourgeois) ‘Upper Marais’, it’s perfect for touring the nearby boutiques, bars and restaurants.
From €300 a night. 29-31 Rue du Poitou, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See hotelpetitmoulinparis.com

Hotel Grands Boulevards

Perfect for: Digital nomads, chic singles, sleek couples, families
Sophisticated yet charming, Hotel Grand Boulevards balances classic Parisian chic with modern touches. Located centrally in the 2nd arrondissement between Opera and the Marais, the hotel is a perfect jump off spot for the area known for old-world cafes, boutiques, theatres and restaurants.
From €330 a night. 17 Boulevard Poissonière, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See fr.grandsboulevardshotel.com

Hotel Particulier, Montmartre

Perfect for: VIP spotting, fashionistas, solo travellers and cool couples seeking discretion

Once home to the Hermès family, this boutique stay features just five strikingly decorated suites.

In the steeped streets of Paris’ historic Montmartre, is this all-but-hidden boutique hotel consisting of five uniquely decorated suites. As the former residence of the Hermes family, it has welcomed A-listers such as Angelina Jolie and Scarlett Johansson seeking the discreet surrounds of a verdant garden replete with flowers and a fountain. If they’re booked out for stays, stop by for Sunday lunch or a drink at the cocktail bar.
From €370 a night. 23 Avenue Junot, Pavillon D, Paris. Phone: [phone] See hotelparticulier.com

La Louisiane

Perfect for: Flaneurs, literary lovers, culture and history buffs
In the heart of the artistic hub of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, La Louisiane has hosted myriad famous writers, musicians and poets such as Miles Davis, Allen Ginsberg and Jim Morrison, who sought refuge from the buzzy bar and restaurant scene below in its humble, yet cosy rooms. The hotel has retained its old-world French charm, offering 42 elegant yet simple rooms, with walls that whisper stories of the luminaries who once stayed there.
From €404 a night. 60 Rue de Seine, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See hotel-lalouisiane.com

SO/Paris

Perfect for: The cool crowd, fashionistas, avant-gardists
The Ennismore group, known for their innovative and chic Hoxton hotels and Scotland’s Gleneagles, opened SO/Paris in 2022. Situated on the 15th floor, the hotel’s roof terrace offers breathtaking views of Paris through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel itself is wedged between the vibrant neighbourhoods of Bastille and Marais and is just across the Pont de Sully bridge which leads to Notre Dame. The architects behind the project, RDAI, have worked on numerous Hermes stores worldwide, reimagining the behemoth glassy box originally built in the sixties into a sleek, modern design that blends in seamlessly with its surroundings.
From €467 a night. 10 Rue Agrippa d’Aubigné, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See soparis.com

Saint James

Perfect for: Royal-enthusiasts, families

Paris’ first and only officially designated château hotel lives up to its castle-like moniker.

Renovated in 2022, the Saint James hotel in Paris’ sleepy-yet-swanky 16th arrondissement is the city’s first and only officially designated chateau hotel. First built in 1892 to house scholarship students of France’s former president Adolphe Thiers’ foundation, the neoclassical building became a private club, opening in 1991 as a hotel, featuring 50 rooms and suites within 4600 square metres of garden surrounds. Needless to say, it lives up to its castle-like moniker, with opulent interiors replete with a house cat, Pilou. The restaurant, Bellefeuille, is Michelin starred and the spa is a collaboration with Guerlain.
From €720 a night. 5 Place du Chancelier, Adenauer, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See saint-james-paris.com

Hotel Lutetia

Perfect for: The cool crowd, fashionistas, shopaholics, digital nomads
Located across the park from Paris’ Bon Marche designer department store and a short walk from the stunning Eglise Saint-Sulpice, the art deco design of the Hotel Lutetia has been a fixture in the Saint Germain des-Pres neighbourhood since it opened in 1910. The hotel was a favourite for writers such as Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce with a number of the top floors providing postcard-worthy views of the Eiffel Tower. A low-key brasserie as well as a Michelin-starred dining experience sit alongside a state-of-the-art fitness centre and luxurious spa to work it all off.
From €1434 a night. 45 Boulevard Raspail, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See hotellutetia.com

Hotel de Crillon

Perfect for: Fancy families, splurging couples, fashionable females

Hotel de Crillon: the former residence of Count de Crillon once hosted Marie Antoinette.

One of the most iconic and luxurious hotels in Paris, Crillon is located in the heart of the city, originally built as a residence for the Count de Crillon in 1758 and has hosted the likes of Marie Antoinette and Madonna. The hotel features Louis V-style decore, an opulent spa and a Michelin-starred restaurant as well as Bar les Ambassadeurs, a favourite watering hole of Coco Chanel and Winston Churchill. A family-friendly option with rooms outfitted with balloons and toys upon request, with each child gifted a stuffed elephant, the hotel’s mascot.
From €1721a night. 10 Place de la Concorde, Paris. Phone: [phone]. See rosewoodhotels.com/en